• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.17-32
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the patterns of stresses arising from various life styles and their related sociodemographic factors in urban residents. The subjects were recruited from the population of two ‘Dong’s (administrative blocks) representative of Daejeon city through stratified cluster random sampling during the period ranging from June I st to Aug. 31 st, 2003. Self-administered questionnaires, including items asking about subjects' sociodemographic characteristics, daily life styles, measurement of stresses by General Health Questionnaire (Goldberg, 1978), were delivered to 396 residents and their responses were analyzed with the following results. 1. Based on the discriminant scores of HPI, 46.7％ of the subjects were found to have less than 4 points (poor life style), whereas 53.3％ had points higher than 5 (good life style). Higher than 5 points were scored more frequently in females than in the male, in the age group of 40's - 60's than the 30's, in the group with spouse than without, in the group with both spouse and offsprings than without, and in the group owning a house than not. 2. Based on the degree of stress, 17.7％ of the subjects were determined to be healthy, 74.5％ were potentially under stress, and 7.8％ were at higher risk of stress. The proportion of healthy individuals were significantly higher in the male, advanced aged group(40's and 60's), the group with higher education years( over highschool), with higher monthly income over two million Won, and with spouse, than their respective counterparts. On the other hand the proportion of the individuals potentially under stress and at higher risk of stress was significantly higher in the female, in the age group of 30's and over 60's, in the group with academic career lower than middle school, with monthly income lower than two million Won, and without spouse. 3. Based on the relation of HPI with degree of stresses, subjects with HPI scores lower than 4 had increased rate of falling into the groups under potential stress and at higher risk of stress, while on the other hand those with over 5 points were found to be healthy in light of stress. 4. Based on the specific relation of each item of HPI with degree of stress, the proportion of healthy individuals was higher in the groups who take appropriate hours of sleep(7-8hours), who take breakfasts everyday, who take physical exercises everyday, who don't smoke, who don't drink alcohol, who take snacks everyday, who are overweight and obese, whereas the proportion of the group under potential stress and at higher risk of stress was higher in their comparable counterparts. 5. The relation of mean scores of HPI with stress scores in both male and female subjects showed negative correlation that the higher HPI scores, the lower stress scores. 6. Multivariate regression analysis to reveal the factors influencing the stress of the subjects showed that for men the significant factors were age, education, presence of job or not, exercise, subjective health status, with the explanatory power of 26.3％. For women, they included educational years, presence of spouse or not, job, owning a house or not, sleeping hours, drinking habit, taking snacks, subjective health status, with the explanatory power of 31.8％. The above study results suggests that stresses of urban residents have significant correlation with daily life styles and this correlation is also remarkably distinguished by different age and sex.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.29 no.4 s.55
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• pp.801-814
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• 1996

Background: Korean people could abuse healthy foods as well as medications, which might cause serious side effects. The aim of this study was elucidating liver dysfunction due to the self-medications of hepatotonics, healthy foods and herb medications by nested case-control study. Methods: Study subjects were drawn from male members of Seoul Cohort Study who were recruited by self-administered structured questionnaire survey through mailing to the healthy men between the age of 40 and 59 years through the program of biennial health check-up offered by Korea Medical Insurance Corporation(KMIC). The liver dysfunction was defined as the level of serum AST and ALT above 40 IU/L and increased in more than one hunderd per-cent during the 2 year follow-up period. To estimate the odds ratio between self-medication and liver dysfunction after controlling for potential confounders, logistic regression was performed. Results: During the follow-up period, 30 members were identified to fit into case criteria and 2,625 members were selected as control. In logistic regression analyses, history of healthy foods intake, age under 45 years, obesity, and habit of regular exercise were significantly associated with liver dysfunction. The following factors exhibited no statistical significance: intake of hepatotonics, of herb medicine; history of disease in family, of operation, and of radiologic examination; smoking habits and drinking amounts. Conclusion: The significant association between the intake of healthy foods and the liver dysfunction illustrates that chronically optional overuse of healthy foods might bring to hazards to health. As the increasing trend of the size of purchasing healthy foods in Korea, pharmacoepidemiologic studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of the widely used healthy foods should be performed in the near future.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.125-153
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• 2006

This study was intended to describe women's weight controlling by creating a hypothetic model on the weight adjustment behavior and by examining a cause and effect relationship, and to contribute to countermeasures for practicing their promotion of health and improving the quality of life through creating a predictable model. The subject of study was women who utilize the beauty shop located in Seoul, Busan and Daegu and the study period was 12 weeks from July 10 to September 30 in 2004. Gathered 1093 person's general specialty related with weight adjustment and analyzed covariance to prove the hypothesis using statistics compiled from authentic sources. Also proved coincidence of the hypothetical model. Exogenous variables of the hypothetical model are composed of recognition of her body shape, fatness level, age, stress, and self-respect. Endogenous variables are health- control mind, recognized health state, self-efficacy, intention, and behavior of weight adjustment. There were 5 measured variables for exogenous variable(x). There were 8 measured variable(y) for exogenous variable. And coincidence $x^2=297.38$, standard $x^2(x^2/df)=7.08$, GFI=0.962, AGFI=0.917, NFI=0.875, TLI=0.794, CFI=0.889, RMSEA=0.075. The result of hypothesis had an epoch-making record that 20 out of 27 hypothesis was proved positive way. Generally weight adjustment has been highly seen in housewives, the married and the old age. Health control mind seems to be high as fatness level, age, and self-respect are high and low stress. Recognized health state is high as age and self-respect are high and low stress. However, it is not much related with recognition of her body shape and fatness level. If age, self-respect, health control mind, recognized health state and self-efficacy are high intention of behavior is also high, but intention of behavior has no relation with recognition of her body shape, fatness level and stress. If fatness level, age, self-respect, health control mind, recognized health state and self-efficacy and intention of behavior are high, execution of weight adjustment will be high. However, recognized health state and stress has no influence for weight adjustment. To increase the coincidence of hypothesis and take a simple model I modified a model and then I got the coincidence $x^2=215.62$, standard $x^2(x^2/df)=6.34$, GFI=0.970, AGFI=0.931, NFI=0.902, TLI=0.901, CFI=0.915, RMSEA=0.070. This result is a bit better than original hypothetical model's so that this model might be more suitable. In this modification model, the factors of weight adjustment seems to be high according to this order self-efficacy, recognized health state, age, intention, health control mind, self-respect, fatness level and stress. With this result I suggest ; 1. Enforcement of IR that everybody can be controlled weight adjustment herself and continuous education, which is related with regular habit (food, exercise, restriction of a favorite food and behavior training etc.) is also needed. 2. Because self-efficacy is influenced to execution of weight adjustment specific program which can increase self-efficacy should have to develop and we need to utilize it to take care of herself. 3. To protect fatness and be active weight adjustment the peculiar program including the concept of self-respect, recognized health state, health control mind and intention must be developed and not only women but also all of people should be educated. 4. This hypothetical model is forecasting women's weight adjustment behavior and can be utilized for fundamental data to increase those people's health.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.11
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• pp.1399-1408
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• 2007

This study was conducted to compare health and nutritional status of 45 home-living elderly people receiving free Meals on Wheels (MOW) (13 men, 32 women) and 81 low income class elderly people receiving free congregate meals (CM) (10 men, 71 women) served in Seoul. Data were obtained from questionnaires, anthropometry and interviews for the 24-hour dietary recall methods. There were no significant differences between the two groups in age and body mass index. Education level, type of housing, family type and income of the two groups also were not significantly different. In MOW, frequencies of exercise were lower while the prevalence of stroke, respiratory disease and loneliness were higher, compared with the CM. The scores of ADL, IADL and food habit of MOW were lower than those of CM. The average daily nutritional intake of both MOW and CM were as a whole under the DRI for Koreans. Energy and macro-nutrient intakes of MOW were tended to be lower than CM (except protein intakes for female). Ca, K, vitamin A, vitamin $B_1$, vitamin $B_2$, vitamin C and folate intakes of MOW were less than 50% of DRI. Percentages of subjects consuming energy less than 75% of EER and 4 nutrients intakes less than EAR were higher in MOW (42.2%) than in CM (1.2%). Our results indicated that dietary nutritional status of MOW was very poor, especially in the case of female elderly groups. For the welfare of the home-living elderly people receiving free MOW, meal service programs should be improved in quality of diet by national supports.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.649-660
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to compare the dietary life and nutrient intakes among elderly persons residing at nursing homes and their homes in order to provide fundamental data for improved foodservice and dietary management. We recruited 150 subjects at a nursing home stay and 150 home stay elderly persons for a survey. The results were as follows. There was no significant difference in frequency of napping between the two groups. The frequency of going out was higher in the home stay subjects, but regular exercise was higher in nursing home stay subjects. Subjects possessed the following diseases: dementia and digestive disorders for nursing home stay elderly men, blood vessel disorder and diabetes for home stay elderly men, digestive and blood vessel disorders for nursing home stay elderly women, and blood vessel and heart disease for home stay elderly women. In a health-related assessment, smoking, drinking, and teeth condition of nursing home stay subjects were not higher than those of home stay subjects. The ratio of subjects who ate meals everyday was higher in nursing home stay elderly women than in home stay women. While most nursing home subjects ate adequate amount of meals, home stay subjects ate until they were full. The daily energy intakes of men and women were 2,229.9 kcal and 2,302.1 kcal for nursing home subjects and 1,894.0 kcal and 1,885.9 kcal for home subjects, respectively. Nutrient intake was also higher in nursing home than home stay subjects. In summary, the dietary life of elderly persons residing in a nursing home was higher than that of elderly persons residing at their home from the view point of meal frequency, meal intake, and nutrient intakes. Therefore, systematic assessment and management of nutrition for elderly staying at a nursing home or at home alone should be conducted continually.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.319-332
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• 2009

The present study was performed to analyze the life style and eating behavior of stroke patients and to find the risk factors related to stroke incidence in Daegu and Gyeongbuk Province, Korea. The case subjects (n=100) were selected from newly diagnosed stroke patients at Kyungpook National University Hospital. The control subjects (n=150) were selected from community inhabitants who did not have stroke history and were sex and age-matched with the case subjects. The survey was conducted by individual interviews using questionnaires on the general characteristics, life-style, eating behavior, food intake frequency and food preference. The high body mass index, preexisting diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, stroke family history, smoking, overeating habit and high preference for sweet, greasy and meat foods appeared to be the risk factors for stroke incidence. On the other hand, the results suggest that life style of regular exercise and nonsmoking, food habits of green tea drinking and enough chewing, preference for Korean meal type, high intake frequency for legumes, vegetables, mushrooms, seaweeds, fishes and shell fishes, soy milk and green tea might be the protective factors for the stroke. Therefore, maintenance of healthy weight, the prevention and management of the deteriorative chronic diseases, change of life style and improvement of eating behaviors are considered to be important for stroke prevention.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.49-63
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• 1999

The objective of the study was to examine and compare health behavior between rural area and urban area in Soonchun city. Data were collected through personal interviews from 25, April to 30, May in 1998. Questions were asked to the rural area residents(n=399) and urban area residents(n=149) about their health behaviors, including such as self-recognition of health status, health related behaviors(smoking, drinking, eating habit, and exercising), status of disease and prevention, and utilization of hospital. As we examine the demographic characteristics, rural area residents were more aged(p<0.001) than urban area residents. And the urban residents had higher education(p<0.01), higher income(p<0.01) and higher health care cost(p<0.01) than rural residents. There were difference in health status existed between rural and urban residents. Rural residents had poorer health status(p<0.01) than urban residents, and however urban residents had more anxiety about their health(p<0.01) than rural residents. Comparison of the health related behavior between rural and urban area residents, rural residents were more likely to smoke(p<0.05), less intake of milk(p<0.01), do not exercise(p<0.01), and less try to lose their weight(p<0.01) than urban residents. Rural resident used to suffer from chronic diseases than urban residents(p<0.01). Consideration of health care need for rural residents are required due to the results shown as above. Therefore, the health care center, where most of the rural residents depend on for their treatment and prevention of disease, should make inquiries about resident's health care need and evaluate the important information sources for construction of a health care information system.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.916-925
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to compare dietary and lifestyle habits in middle-aged women based on their self-perceived health-related physical fitness (SPF) level as well as investigate the effects of dietary and lifestyle habits on SPF. The study subjects were divided into two groups, 'High' group (${\geq}3.2$, n=64) and 'Low' group (<3.2, n=69), based on average SPF value (3.2). Women in the 'High' group showed a greater lean mass (P<0.05), whereas women in the 'Low' group had higher triglycerides (P<0.05). In analyzing characteristics of lifestyle habits, it was found that the 'High' group showed significantly higher scores for 'vitality level (P<0.001)', 'self-rated health status (P<0.001)', 'regular medical checkups (P<0.05)', and 'regular exercise (P<0.05)'. The average score for dietary habits was significantly high in the 'High' group (P<0.05). Furthermore, ordinary dietary habits showed a significant positive correlation (P<0.001) with SPF in the regression analysis after adjusting for disturbance factors. From these results, ordinary desirable dietary habits were shown to be an important factors having positive effects SPF. Therefore, healthy dietary and lifestyle habits should be practiced to improve the SPF of middle-aged women. For this purpose, related educational programs should be developed for the middle-aged women to take interest in their dietary habits.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.15-29
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• 2003

Objectives: This study was done to find out fatigue and self-reported physical symptoms of Vinylhouse farmers. The results of this study could be used as a basic data to develop health promotion program for Vinylhouse farmers who are suffering from fatigue and physical symptoms. Methods: The 166 respondents, who were working in Vinylhouse and were living in a remoted area where the primary health post located, were participated in this study. Thirty: 30 items of self-reported fatigue scale was used to evaluate the farmers fatigue level which made by Japanese industrial and hygenic association(1988). Twenty four: 24 items of index used by researcher for self-reported physical symptoms was from Lee In Bae's(1999) modified Index which was originated from Cornell Medical Index(1949). Another questionnaires used in this study were developed by researcher through related documents. Results: The results of this study were as follows; Fatigue scores were high in accordance with women(t=-2.212, p<0.05), worse recognized health state(F=20.610, p<.001), lack of sleeping hours(F=3.937, p<0.05), eat irregularly(t=-3.883, p<0.001), don't take a bath after application of chemical(t=-2.950, p<0.01), working time per a day(F=5.633, p<0.01) & working time per a day in Vinylhouse(F=5.247, p<0.01) were long. Subjective physical symptoms were high in accordance with women(t=-3.176, p<0.01), worse recognized health state(F=35.335, p<0.001), and low education(F=3.467, p<0.05). eat irregularly(t=-3.384, p<0.01), alcohol drinking(t=-2.389, p<0.05). When farmers don't take a bath after application of chemical show high(t=-3.188, p<0.01). As a result, the factors affecting to Vinylhouse worker's health were irregular diet habit, scarce exercise, lack of proper rest, symptoms oriented from Vinylhouse work in contaminated environment with high temperature and humidity. Conclusions: Based on this study, health promotion program is necessary for Vinylhouse workers. Also, the development of continuously practical strategy of healthy life style including exercise and comprehensive health promotion program considered the country's social and cultural background are needed.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.536-546
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• 2009

This study was done to investigate the effect of stress on appetite and eating habits, and other health-related behaviors. The subjects of this study consisted of 188 males and 224 females in Ulsan area. The results were as follows: When stressed, 56% (n = 231) of the subjects experienced a change in appetite and of these, 32% (n = 132) experienced an increased appetite. Stress-induced eating may be one factor contributing to the development of obesity. There was a gender-specific response to stress in which women are more likely to use food to deal with stress, whereas men are more likely to use alcohol consumption or smoking. It was found that types of stressors were individual (52.9%), social (50.7%), family relations (34.5%), work demands (34.2%) and physical environment (32.3%). Stress-induced symptoms of the subjects were anxiety (38.3%), headache (36.7%) and neck or shoulder aches (36.2%), and females experienced those symptoms more than males. Those older than 50 years had a higher eating habit score and lower stress score compared with younger subjects. There were significant differences between sex, age, occupation, family type, BMI, exercise, sleeping hours and eating habits or stress level. This study may be helpful in advancing findings in this area to better provide health professionals with appropriate counseling tools to improve the health of all individuals.